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    Local delivery to malignant brain tumors: potential biomaterial-based therapeutic/adjuvant strategies
    (Cambridge : RSC, 2021) Alghamdi, Majed; Gumbleton, Mark; Newland, Ben
    Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant brain tumor and is associated with a very poor prognosis. The standard treatment for newly diagnosed patients involves total tumor surgical resection (if possible), plus irradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Despite treatment, the prognosis is still poor, and the tumor often recurs within two centimeters of the original tumor. A promising approach to improving the efficacy of GBM therapeutics is to utilize biomaterials to deliver them locally at the tumor site. Local delivery to GBM offers several advantages over systemic administration, such as bypassing the blood-brain barrier and increasing the bioavailability of the therapeutic at the tumor site without causing systemic toxicity. Local delivery may also combat tumor recurrence by maintaining sufficient drug concentrations at and surrounding the original tumor area. Herein, we critically appraised the literature on local delivery systems based within the following categories: polymer-based implantable devices, polymeric injectable systems, and hydrogel drug delivery systems. We also discussed the negative effect of hypoxia on treatment strategies and how one might utilize local implantation of oxygen-generating biomaterials as an adjuvant to enhance current therapeutic strategies. © 2021 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
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    Novel monomers in radical ring-opening polymerisation for biodegradable and pH responsive nanoparticles
    (Brookfield, Conn. : Society of Plastic Engineers, 2019) Folini, Jenny; Huang, Chao-Hung; Anderson, James C.; Meier, Wolfgang P.; Gaitzsch, Jens
    Responsive and biodegradable nanoparticles are essential for functional drug delivery systems. We herein report the first pH sensitive polyester from radical ring-opening polymerisation of novel amine-bearing cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs). The CKAs were synthesised via an intermediate carbonate and the resulting polyesters showed a pKa around pH 6. Together with an initial application in biodegradable nanoparticles, they open the pathway for a new generation of functional polyesters.
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    High concentrations of polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles decrease activity of osteoclasts
    (Basel : MDPI, 2019) Kauschke, Vivien; Hessland, Felix Maximilian; Vehlow, David; Müller, Martin; Heiss, Christian; Lips, Katrin Susanne
    Fracture treatment in osteoporotic patients is still challenging. Osteoporosis emerges when there is an imbalance between bone formation and resorption in favor of resorption by osteoclasts. Thus, new implantmaterials for osteoporotic fracture treatment should promote bone formation and reduce bone resorption. Nanoparticles can serve as drug delivery systems for growth factors like Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which stimulated osteoblast differentiation. Therefore, polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles (PEC-NPs) consisting of poly(l-lysine) (PLL) and cellulose sulfate (CS), with or without addition of BDNF, were used to analyze their effect on osteoclasts in vitro. Live cell images showed that osteoclast numbers decreased after application of high PLL/CS PEC-NPs concentrations independent of whether BDNF was added or not. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that relative mRNA expression of cathepsin K and calcitonin receptor significantly declined after incubation of osteoclasts with high concentrations of PLL/CS PEC-NPs. Furthermore, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay indicated that tartrate-resistant acidic phosphatase 5b activity was significantly reduced in the presence of high PLL/CS PEC-NPs concentrations. Consistent with these results, the pit formation analysis showed that less hydroxyapatite was resorbed by osteoclasts after incubation with high concentrations of PLL/CS PEC-NPs. BDNF had no influence on osteoclasts. We conclude that highly concentrated PLL/CS PEC-NPs dosages decreased osteoclastogenesis and osteoclasts activity. Moreover, BDNF might be a promising growth factor for osteoporotic fracture treatment since it did not increase osteoclast activity. © 2019 by the authors.